Help & Documentation

Learn how to use StructureGram

Managing Diagram Versions

Learn how to maintain your version history, delete unwanted versions, and keep your diagram versions organized and useful.

Viewing Your Versions

To see all versions for a diagram:

  1. Open the diagram (Ownership View or Family Tree)
  2. Click the Versions button in the toolbar
  3. All versions appear in the dropdown, newest first

Each version shows:

  • Version name (what you called it)
  • Timestamp (when it was saved)
  • Entity count (number of nodes)
  • Relationship count (number of edges)

Deleting Versions

Why Delete Versions?

Delete versions when:

  • They were experimental and you don't need them
  • You saved duplicate versions by mistake
  • You want to make room for new versions (approaching 15-version limit)
  • The version is obsolete or incorrect

Note: Deleting versions is permanent - you cannot undo it.

How to Delete a Version

  1. Open the diagram and click Versions
  2. Find the version you want to delete
  3. Click the trash icon next to the version
  4. Confirm deletion in the dialog
  5. The version is permanently removed

Deletion Confirmation

Before deleting, you'll see:

Are you sure you want to delete version "Version Name"?
This action cannot be undone.

This protects against accidental deletions.

Version Limit and Auto-Pruning

The 15-Version Limit

Each diagram can store up to 15 versions. This limit:

  • Keeps the system performant
  • Prevents version history from growing unbounded
  • Provides ample history for most use cases

Automatic Pruning

When you save a 16th version:

  • The oldest version (by creation date) is automatically deleted
  • Your new version is saved
  • You receive no warning
  • This happens silently in the background

Example:

Current versions: 1-15 (15 total)
You save: Version 16
Result: Version 1 deleted, versions 2-16 remain (15 total)

Managing Near the Limit

To avoid losing important versions:

  1. Promote important versions to permanent diagrams (see Promoting Versions)
  2. Delete experimental versions you no longer need
  3. Keep milestone versions (finals, presentations, year-ends)
  4. Let old versions prune if they're truly historical

Organizing Your Version History

Naming Strategy

Use consistent naming to make versions easy to identify:

Date-based:

  • "2024-01-15 board meeting"
  • "Q4 2024 final"
  • "Year end 2023"

Purpose-based:

  • "Before acquisition"
  • "After restructure"
  • "Presentation version"
  • "Detailed analysis"

Milestone-based:

  • "Initial consultation"
  • "Client review 1"
  • "Final approved"

Version Metadata

Use the metadata to identify versions quickly:

  • Node count: Helps identify scope changes
    • "5 entities" vs "8 entities" shows expansion
  • Timestamp: When it was created
    • Versions are always sorted newest-first
  • Edge count: Relationship complexity
    • More edges = more complex structure

Version History Best Practices

Keep Milestones

Always preserve versions that represent:

  • ✅ Major structural changes
  • ✅ Presentation-ready configurations
  • ✅ Year-end or period-end snapshots
  • ✅ "Before/after" pairs for comparisons
  • ✅ Client-approved layouts

Delete Freely

Don't hesitate to delete:

  • ❌ Failed experiments
  • ❌ Accidental saves
  • ❌ Duplicate versions
  • ❌ "Testing" versions
  • ❌ Obsolete configurations

Use Promote for Permanence

If a version is truly important beyond the 15-version limit:

  1. Promote it to a diagram (permanent preservation)
  2. Then you can delete the version if needed
  3. The promoted diagram exists forever

Regular Cleanup

Periodically review your versions:

  1. Open the versions list
  2. Delete versions you no longer need
  3. Promote important versions approaching deletion
  4. Keep your version history focused and useful

Version Lifecycle

Typical Version Lifecycle

1. Created: You save "Version Name"
2. Used: You restore it a few times
3. Aged: Newer versions are created
4. Archived: Promoted to diagram if important
5. Pruned: Auto-deleted when oldest or manually deleted

Long-Lived Versions

Some versions stay useful:

  • Baseline configurations
  • Presentation templates
  • Approved final states

Consider promoting these to diagrams for permanent preservation.

Permissions and Team Behavior

Any Team Member Can

StructureGram's team collaboration model means:

  • ✅ Any user can save versions
  • ✅ Any user can restore versions
  • ✅ Any user can delete versions
  • ✅ Any user can promote versions

There are no per-user restrictions on version operations.

Implications

  • Team members can delete each other's versions
  • No "locked" or "protected" versions
  • Encourage communication about important versions
  • Use promote to preserve critical configurations

Creator Attribution

Versions show who created them (for reference):

  • Helps team members understand context
  • No permissions attached to creator
  • Any user can still modify/delete any version

Cascade Deletion

When You Delete a Diagram

Deleting a diagram also deletes:

  • All versions of that diagram
  • The diagram's layout data
  • The diagram's settings

Warning: This is permanent and cannot be undone.

Before deleting a diagram:

  1. Review its versions
  2. Promote any important versions to separate diagrams
  3. Confirm you don't need the versions
  4. Then delete the diagram

Versions Are Diagram-Scoped

Each diagram has its own version history:

  • Versions don't span multiple diagrams
  • Duplicating a diagram doesn't copy versions
  • Promoting a version creates a diagram with no versions

Troubleshooting

"My important version disappeared"

  • Likely hit the 15-version limit and it was auto-pruned
  • Check if you saved 16+ versions
  • Use promote for permanent preservation in the future
  • Consider if it can be recreated

"I deleted a version by mistake"

  • Version deletion is permanent
  • Cannot be undone
  • You may be able to recreate from memory
  • Or restore another version that's similar

"I can't delete a version"

  • Check network connection
  • Ensure you're still authenticated
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Contact support if issue persists

"How many versions can I really keep?"

  • 15 per diagram (hard limit)
  • But unlimited promoted diagrams
  • Use promote for long-term preservation
  • Regularly clean up old versions

"Can I rename a version?"

  • No, versions are immutable
  • Delete and create new with correct name
  • Or keep notes elsewhere for clarification

Common Workflows

Monthly Cleanup

1. First of each month
2. Review last month's versions
3. Delete experimental versions
4. Promote month-end version to archive diagram
5. Keep only useful working versions

Pre-Presentation Prep

1. Before big presentation
2. Review versions for presentation-ready layout
3. Delete failed layout attempts
4. Promote final presentation version
5. Use promoted diagram for presentation

Project Milestone

1. Major project milestone reached
2. Save version with milestone name
3. Promote to diagram for permanent record
4. Delete interim experimental versions
5. Clean version history for next phase

Version Management Tips

  1. Be descriptive: Good names help you delete with confidence
  2. Delete early: Don't wait until you hit the 15-version limit
  3. Promote strategically: Use it for true long-term preservation
  4. Communicate: Tell team about important versions
  5. Timestamp manually: Include dates in names for clarity
  6. Review regularly: Monthly cleanup keeps history manageable
  7. Trust auto-pruning: It's okay to let old versions go

Next Steps